Young divers shine at Swim England Diving National Skills Finals

18 different clubs from across the UK took to the podium in an exciting weekend at the Swim England Diving National Skills Finals 2024.

This year’s event was hosted by the Swim England East Region with the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre the home of this year’s competition.

A number of divers and clubs shone throughout the weekend, including the home club Southend – who won their joint highest ever medal count at the competition with six.

That saw them tie with their total from last year which began with the club’s double podium in the Group E Female competition.

Lily Billton and Sienna Deakin were the athletes who fired them to silverware with first and third places respectively after their 12 dives.

Just over 10 points split them in the end with Billton’s score of 274.05 earning her top spot. Deakin wasn’t far back on 263.85 with only Star Diving’s Pollyanna Johnson separating the two teammates on 271.90.

Southend were also on the podium in the Group E Open competition with Parker Halsey earning them silver. He scored 291.45 points to finish narrowly behind Corby Steel Diving Club’s Leonard Soltoianu.

Soltoianu put in a consistent performance to break the 300 mark (300.90), earning a number of nine’s and eight’s from the judges throughout. Dive London’s Liam Wilson-Roberts was third.

London’s Ojok wins competitions first gold

Despite the home clubs success, it was Dive London’s Alana Ojok who won the first gold medal of the competition.

She also broke the 300-point-barrier in the Group D1 Female event to secure a one-two for the club from the capital.

It gave them two of their five medals from the weekend with Adelyn Richards finishing on 290.25 for second. Southend were once again on the podium in third thanks to Daisy Roberts (282.75).

In the Group D2 Female it was an impressive display from Cambridge Dive Teams Hallie Cave that earnt them top spot.

Like Ojok she also broke 300 points but it was a score of 314.65 she needed to take the national title ahead of Sandwell’s Sophie Gallagher (302.75) and Elodie Ladds of Star Diving Club Guildford.

The Open Group D gold medals went to Plymouth Diving Club’s Theo Todd and Sandwell’s Stanley Powell.

Todd impressed throughout in the D1 final, winning Plymouth’s only gold with a score of 280.60 ahead of Barnabas Quin (Star Diving Club) and Southend’s Reuben Foster who was third.

Stanley Powell meanwhile took the honour of winning Sandwell Diving Club’s first national gold in the Group D2 Open final.

He put in a consistent display, to secure top spot for the West Midlands based side with 292.30. Theo Gilbert from City of Leeds Diving Club was second and Albatross Diving Club Reading athlete Thomas Oxlade.

A Leeds double

It was a Leeds Diving Club double in the Open Group C events with the club securing the golds in both the C1 and C2 competitions.

Edgar Traviss-Turner and Dominic Emery both took home a national title with Traviss-Turner leading the way in the Group C1.

It was a close battle with less than a point splitting Traviss-Turner and City of Sheffield’s George Field.

Traviss-Turner held a comfortable lead in the early stages but Field closed the gap massively in the final four rounds from 25 points to put him right in the fight for gold.

The Leeds diver held on however with a score of 296.10 with Field missing out by 0.85 points in second.

Dive London were once again on the podium in third with Gasper Gunton scoring 280.40 for his 12 dive list.

Emery meanwhile held a slightly safer gap as he won the C2 Open crown with 275.85.

He took the title by 5 points ahead of City of Sheffield Mason Cameron (270.75) and South West London Diving Club’s Mael Chereau in third (264.20).

In the Group C1 Female event it was London back on the top step with Sienna Robson. It was an all-southern affair on the podium with Cambridge’s Florence Tibbatts in second and Plymouth’s Rae Mossford completing the podium.

After two silvers in the Group C Open events, City of Sheffield reached the top step in the Group C2 Female final.

Antonella Sadiq gave them glory with a final score of 284.50, which was less than two points ahead of Luton Diving Club’s Florence Bale. Daisy Lightfoot (City of Leeds) won bronze with 277.65.

First ever Group A National Skills events

We also saw our first ever Group A event at a Diving National Skills Finals with the Group A Open 3m event being won by Cambridge’s William Tibbatts with a score of 176.90.

South West London diver Yeva Baruch won the Group A 3m Female event with 197.75, thanks to an impressive final round dive which saw her leapfrog Corby Steel’s Vivianne Cross.

Baruch’s Forward 2 ½ Somersault Tuck earnt her 45.10 points, her highest of the competition to see her finish just over four points ahead of Cross.

She settled for silver with 193.60 and Maddison Relf rounding out the podium on 177.90.

The same three divers shared the podium in the 1m event, however it was Cross who secured gold. She was the only diver to score more than 200 points for her six dives with 218.25.

Relf of Amersham Swimming Club was second with Baruch rounding out the podium on 183.15.

In the Group B events it was City of Sheffield and Star Diving Club Guildford winning the golds.

Felix Di Bona dominated the open event, finishing just under 20 points ahead of his nearest rivals as he led throughout the ten rounds.

He scored a total of 344.15 ahead of an impressive Alex Waterman from Southampton Diving Academy.

The Southampton athlete scored 324.70 to comfortably secure second spot as Southend’s final medal came courtesy of Ethan Cooper’s bronze.

Finally, there was a one-two finish for Star Diving in the Group B Female competition.

Scarlet Quinton led Isla Llewellyn-Smith as the pair both scored more than 340 points with two equally strong lists.

Quinton was always narrowly ahead of her club mate however, closing out with an Inward 1 ½ Somersault Tuck that scored 44 points alone to take her to a total of 349.60. Albatross’ Arianna Fox completed the podium to earn the clubs second bronze in third.

There were also a number of commemorative medals giving out across the weekend with strong divers and competition from Scotland’s Aberdeen Diving Club and Edinburgh Diving Club as well as Ireland’s Shamrock Diving Club.

Divers from Wales’ Aberdare Comets Diving Club also took to the boards in Southend.

Images: Mark Massey